Huston Smith, a well-known religious philosopher said, “It is possible to climb
life’s mountain from any side, but when the top is reached the trails
converge.” Many of the religions share common goals. I think that
focusing on the commonalities, working towards inter-religious
cooperation and understanding, while it may not lead to the lofty goal
of world peace - it would at least bring us closer to that goal.

This poll isn't about the differences of the world's religions - but
about the similarities. What common threads do the various religions
share?

All the ones that are true are the same in essence, all just a different way of approaching the same goal.
Any one who claims their own religion is the one and only true one is not only ignorant but dangerous.
They should climb of their high horse and get real who the hell ever told them that is a friggin lunatic. And anybody who believes that is severely deluded.
Study the essence of all true religion not the dogma, and not one will claim to be right above all others if they do they are wrong not true.
I do not follow any religion or organised belief just use my common sense, read, study, observe and make up my own mind. We are all One everything is One.

The basic problem isn't finding common threads upon which to focus, as they do exist. The problem has been the ability of one religion to ignore major theological differences to appease the others! For instance, Christianity establishes without doubt that Jesus is Lord, the Savior and no one comes to the Father but through Him. The others do not accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ. How in the world is there any common thread strong enough to bind everyone together while ignoring the elephant in the room?

But it is interesting to note that what you state here is indeed coming to pass. Many efforts are being made to bring all religions together. More and more Christians are staying silent about the Lordship of Jesus so as not to offend anyone else. And they are part of the spirit of anti-Christ and do not even know it. And in the last days, there will be a one world religion. And it will be headed up by anti-Christ himself.

You ask how "there are any common threads strong enough to bind everyone together while ignoring the elephant in the room", suggesting that if everyone doesn't accept Jesus as Lord, then there can be no commonalities. I disagree. I believe there are many 'common threads' between the various religions, although there will also always be basic differences. Personally, I do not think there is anything wrong with that. That is a fact of life. People will choose other paths than you and I - and they will believe that that path is truth, as strongly as you believe in yours.

Insisting that there is only one truth for all people - is, quite honestly, what has led to much violence and hatred in the world.

And then you talk about a "one world religion". It appears to me that you are approving of a "one world religion" if that religion is Christianity. Personally, I have no problem that people believe differently than I do. I have no agenda to convert the world to my way of thinking.

The point of this poll is to highlight the areas of commonality between the various religions in an effort to gain greater understanding and a belief that by focusing on those common threads, that the world will be a more peaceful place.

your quote from Smith is DERIVED from the native american philosophy -
"ONE MOUNTAINTOP - MANY PATHS" = true no matter what you believe -
the natives could not grasp why the newcomers stated that there is ONLY one god -
but did not understand that this ONE GOD may have different names depending on what language you speak -
the common thread in all religions is that we are all humans & come from & will go to the same place -we just have diff ways of saying it -

Great poll, Buster! A common thread shared by the various religions is "having faith" - i.e. not needing something tangible - such as seeing and touching - to believe or "know" that a supreme being exists.